Saudi man planning to attack Bush’s home gets life sentence

PanARMENIAN.Net - A Saudi student who plotted to attack the Texas home of ex-President George W Bush and other targets has been sentenced to life in jail, according to BBC News.

A judge said he had no doubt Khalid Aldawsari, convicted in June of trying to use a weapon of mass destruction, was serious about his plans.

The FBI found bomb-making materials in the 22-year-old's Lubbock, Texas home just before his February 2011 arrest.

Nuclear power plants and hydroelectric dams were also on his list of targets.

At the sentencing in Amarillo, Texas, Judge Donald Walter said: "The bottom line is that but by the grace of God there would be dead Americans. You would have done it. In every step, it was you all alone."

The investigation into Aldawsari began when his $435 purchase from a chemical company raised suspicions. Investigators said he had ordered the toxic chemical phenol, which can be used to make explosives, telling the supplier he wanted it for "off-campus, personal research".

The supplier became suspicious and reported the contact to the FBI. Aldawsari later cancelled the order, the justice department said.

He eventually succeeded in buying nearly eight gallons (30 liters) of concentrated nitric acid and three gallons of concentrated sulphuric acid, prosecutors said.

Just before he was arrested, federal agents secretly searched his apartment and found explosive chemicals, wiring, a hazardous-materials suit and clocks, along with videos showing how to make the chemical explosive TNP.

The FBI found evidence that Aldawsari had researched targets, including the Dallas home of Mr Bush, which the student referred to as "Tyrant's House".

Aldawsari wrote in a journal entry: "And now, after mastering the English language, learning how to build explosives and continuous planning to target the infidel Americans, it is time for Jihad."

Aldawsari apologized at the Nov 13 hearing: "I am sorry for these bad actions, but none of these bad actions did harm to the United States."

During the trial, defense lawyers acknowledged the student had intent, but they said he never took a "substantial step" to carry out an attack.